Singapore has established itself as one of the world’s leading startup hubs, attracting entrepreneurs, investors and innovators from across the globe.
With its pro-business environment, strong government support and strategic location in Southeast Asia, the city-state provides an ideal ecosystem for startups to thrive.
At the heart of this ecosystem are accelerators and incubators – they play a crucial role in helping startups secure funding, refine their business models and scale rapidly.
Whether it’s early-stage founders looking for mentorship or established startups seeking expansion, these programmes provide the resources, connections and expertise needed for success.
The Startup Ecosystem in Singapore
Singapore has become a global hotspot for startups, offering a stable economy, strong intellectual property laws and a highly skilled workforce. Its strategic location in Southeast Asia makes it an ideal gateway for companies looking to expand into emerging markets.
The government actively supports innovation through funding schemes, tax incentives and pro-business policies, attracting both local and international entrepreneurs. The presence of major venture capital firms and corporate investors further strengthens the ecosystem, providing startups with ample opportunities for funding and collaboration.
Despite its relatively small size, Singapore is home to a diverse range of startups across fintech, biotech, deep tech and sustainability sectors, with many achieving international success. But, breaking into competitive markets and securing funding can still be challenging.
This is where accelerators and incubators play a vital role, offering structured programmes, mentorship and financial support to help startups refine their business models, scale efficiently and access global networks.
Top Startups and Incubators in Singapore
Here are eight of the top incubators and accelerators in Singapore.
Iterative
Founded in 2019 by Brian Ma and Hsu Ken Ooi, Iterative is a Singapore-based accelerator designed specifically for early-stage startups in Southeast Asia. Modeled after Y Combinator, Iterative runs two accelerator programs per year, offering funding, mentorship, and an intensive three-month curriculum to help startups scale quickly.
What makes Iterative unique is its focus on SEA startups and its willingness to fund and mentor companies at the earliest stages, even if they are just ideas. By leveraging the founders’ experience in building and scaling successful startups, Iterative has built a strong network of mentors, investors, and alumni, making it one of the most promising accelerators in the region.
500 Startups
Founded in 2010 by Dave McClure and Christine Tsai, 500 Startups (now 500 Global) is one of the world’s most well-known accelerators. Its Singapore branch focuses on helping early-stage startups across Southeast Asia, providing funding, mentorship, and access to a vast global network of investors.
What makes 500 Startups successful is its data-driven approach to investing and its diverse portfolio, which includes over 2,500 startups worldwide. The program offers seed funding (typically around $50,000 to $150,000), hands-on mentorship, and a structured curriculum to help startups refine their business models, marketing strategies, and growth tactics.
500 Startups’ ability to scale companies quickly and connect them with top investors has made it one of the most sought-after accelerators in Singapore.
Techstars
Techstars, founded in 2006 in the US by David Cohen, Brad Feld, David Brown, and Jared Polis, expanded into Singapore to support the booming Southeast Asian startup ecosystem. The accelerator runs industry-specific programs in areas such as fintech, healthtech, and sustainability, offering startups up to $120,000 in funding and a 13-week mentorship-driven program.
What sets Techstars apart is its global reach and deep industry connections. It has backed over 3,000 startups globally, many of which have gone on to raise significant venture capital. Its success in Singapore is largely due to its ability to attract high-quality startups, connect them with corporate partners and experienced mentors, and help them expand internationally.
Entrepreneur First
Founded in 2011 by Matt Clifford and Alice Bentinck, Entrepreneur First (EF) is an incubator that takes a radically different approach by investing in individuals rather than existing startups. EF’s Singapore program launched in 2016, and since then, it has helped scientists, engineers, and technologists build deep-tech companies from scratch.
What makes EF unique is its focus on talent first—participants don’t need a startup idea before joining. Instead, EF helps co-founders match up, develop ideas, and build companies from cutting-edge research. This model has led to the creation of some of Singapore’s most innovative deep-tech startups, making EF a key player in the country’s startup ecosystem.
Startup-O
Founded in 2016 in Singapore, Startup-O is a digital-first accelerator that connects startups with investors, mentors, and business leaders through its online platform. Unlike traditional accelerators, Startup-O operates remotely, allowing startups across Asia to access its resources without being physically present in Singapore.
Its success lies in its data-driven investment process, which evaluates startups using a proprietary AI-powered assessment model. This helps identify the most promising ventures, ensuring that only high-potential startups receive funding and support.
Startup-O has gained recognition for democratising startup acceleration, making it accessible to founders regardless of their location, and ensuring a fair, merit-based selection process.
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HyperX
Launched by McKinsey & Company in 2020, HyperX is a corporate-backed accelerator that focuses on solving business and sustainability challenges through startups. Unlike traditional accelerators, HyperX brings together corporates, startups, and investors to develop and test innovative business solutions.
HyperX is unique because it offers deep industry insights, connections to large enterprises, and hands-on mentorship from McKinsey’s network. This allows startups to pilot their solutions with major corporations, significantly improving their chances of securing large-scale adoption and investment.
Its success is driven by its corporate-driven innovation model, which helps startups create solutions that have immediate real-world applications.
Muru-D
Muru-D is Telstra’s startup accelerator, launched in 2013, with a focus on tech startups in Singapore and Australia. It provides seed funding, mentorship and access to Telstra’s global network, helping startups scale quickly.
What makes Muru-D successful is its focus on developing commercial-ready startups and its strong ties to corporate partners, ensuring that participating startups get real-world business opportunities. The program has helped launch numerous successful tech companies in Singapore, particularly in sectors like telecommunications, AI, and IoT.
